Track mechanism for railroad-crossings.



PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906.

J. w. RENNER. TRACK MECHANISM FOR RAILROAD GROSSINGS.

APPLICATION IILBD MAY29.1906.

rus NORRIS PETERS C0,, WASHINGTON, n. c.

IINITED srATEs PATENT OFFIGE. 7

JOHN W. RENNER, OF GADILLAOQMICHIGAN, ASSIGNOROF FOUR-FIFTHS TO SAMUELS. THORPE, OF CADILLAC, MICHIGAN.

TRACK MECHANISM FOR RAILRQAD-CROSSIINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented- Aug. 7-, .1906.

Application filed May 29, 1906- Serial N0r319i322 To. all whom/it. mayconcern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN W. RENNER, a citizen of the United States,residing in Cadillac,-county of Wexford, State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Track Mechanism forRailroad-Crossings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railroad-crossing track mechanism of the type inwhich the rails terminate short of the points of crossing to providepassage-ways for the flanges of the car-wheels, and a movable splice-baror bridge element is located at each point of crossing common to twocrossing-rails, which is designed to be automatically shifted to bridgethe space between the ends of the rails at the time the rails are inservice.

The present invention has particular reference to the mechanism forautomatically shifting the bridge element as well as for shifting .asignal arranged adjacent thecross- The object of the invention is toprovide such mechanism which is particularly simple in construction andhighly durable and effi.

cient in use.

To this end the invention includes thecombination and arrangement ofparts to be described, and particularly pointed out in. the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of, myinvention,

Figure 1 is a. lan view of a railway-crossing Y equipped wit bridgeelements of the type referred to. Fig. 2 is a plan view from the underside, showing the mechanism for actuating the bridge elements andsignal.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention one set of tracks isindicatedby a and the other by 1), these tracks crossing each other in amanner to provide a so-called diamond crossing. The rails of each trackare interrupted at the points of crossing, and at each of these points amovable bridge member is located which is common to two crossing-railsand is designed to be shifted to preserve the continuity of either. Thebridge members (1, located at the ends of the diamond, have a muchgreater movement or move through a larger arc than the bridge elementse, located at the sides of the diamond g The invention contemplatesnovel mechanism for shifting vall of the elements 01 e in unison uponthe approach ofthe car along either track toward-the crossing if'therails upon which the car moves at-the time are interrupted at thecrossing,the mechanism being actuated. by'the approaching-car from anelement located remote from the crossing. The major portion oftheoperating mechanism is preferably located beneath a suitable bed-platef, upon which the-crossing-rails are mounted. I

Each of the bridge members is mounted to have an oscillating movementand to this end is provided with a depend-ing pivot-pin, find.

ing a bearing in the plate f. Agearor toothed segment g is secure to thepivot-pin of each element d below the platef, andthese gears intermeshwith the tooth-peripheries of a 7 double toothed segment h, pivotallymounted below theplate f substantiallycentra-lly of thevcrossing anddesigned to have an oscillating movement and therethrough oscillate thegears g, which in turn oscillate the bridge members d.- ing pivot-pinsof the bridge members 6 and are arranged within the paths of movement ofthe oscillatingmember h, sothat'they will be struck thereby during'themovement of the same and oscillated toshift'themembers e. A suitabledouble stop Z is associated with each member '1' to arrest'the movementof the same when shifted by the "elements It, and thus prevent overthrowof'ithebridge members. In arrestingthe-members' 'ipthe double segment isalso-arrested and :therethrough the gears g arrested.

'To shift the se ment h and, through" the mechanism described, thebridgemembers cl 6, a pair :of levers m is associated with each track,the members of each-pair being .arranged on opposite' s'idesof'thecrossing. A link connection is interposed between ?-the lower endofeach lever-and the segment N, the connection between the end of'the'l-ink and the segment being made eccentrically of the latter andthelinks associated with-com panion'leversbeing connectedto the member itupon opposite sides of the 'pivotthereof. The upper ends'of each pair-of levers are adapted to project above the rail-bed a positionto bestruck by a part ofthecar'or car-wheels as the car approaches the cross-Arms tare fixed tothe depend loo ing when the bridge members associatedwith the track upon which the car is assing are not in register with theends of t e rails of said track. As the upper ends of the le- 5 vers aredepressed the lower ends thereof are shifted rearwardly, and through thelinks n elements h are oscillated and will shift elements 9 i andtherethrough shift the bridge members for the purpose stated.

If desired, a signal such as that designated by may be arranged adjacentthe crossing and may be actuated from the segment 7L. As hereinillustrated, the signal 0 includes a vertical shaft 0, extending belowthe plate I f and having an arm 8 secured thereto. Be tween this arm andthe segment h a link 7 is interposed, so that as the segment is shiftedthe arm 8 will partake of a like movement.

The operation of my invention will be understood from the foregoingdescription, and it w ll be appreciated that many changes ormodifications may be made from the particular exemplificationillustrated and described without departing from the spirit and scopethereof.

- I claim- I 1. The combination of a railway-crossing having interruptedrails at crossing-points .and movable bridge members thereat, of meansfor shifting said brid e members comprising, an oscillating mem erhaving oppos te toothed ends, means for shifting said oscillatingmember, a toothed member associated with opposite bridge members andintermeshing with the toothed parts of the oscillating member, andoscillating arms associated with the other crossing members and arranged in the path of movement of said oscillating member, substantiallyas described.

2; In a railway-crossing having interrupted ra ls at the crossing-pointsand movable bridge members thereat, of means for shifting said bridgemembers comprisin a double toothed segment, means for oscil ating thesame, a toothed member associated with opposite bridge members and.intermeshing with the toothed portion of the segment, 08- cillating armsassociated with the other bridge membersand arranged in the path ofmovement of the oscillating segment to be shifted by the latter andstops arranged to arrest the movement of said arms, substantially asdescribed. 3. In combination a railway-crossing having interrupted railsat the crossing-points and movable bridge-pieces thereat, of means forshifting said bridge-pieces comprising a double toothed segmentcentrally pivoted beneath the crossing, a gear associated with oppositebridge members and intermeshing with the toothed portion of the segment,an arm associated with each of the other bridge members arranged in thepath of movement of the segment and designed to be struck by 65 thesides of the latter in the movement of the same, a double stopassociated with each arm, a pair of operating-levers associated witheach track and a link connection between the lower end of each of saidlevers and the double segment, substantially as described.

4. In combination a railway-crossing having interrupted rails at thecrossing-points and movable bridge-pieces thereat, of means for shiftingsaid bridge-pieces comprisin a double toothed segment centrallypivotedieneath the crossing, a gear associated with opposite bridgemembers and intermeshing with the toothed portions of the segment, anarm associated with each of the other bridge members arranged in thepath of movement of the segment and designed to be struck by the sidesof the latterin the movement of the same, a double stop associated witheach arm, a pair of operating-levers associated with each track and alink connection between the lower end of each of said levers and thedouble segment, an oscillating signal including a vertical shaft, an armsecured thereto and a link connection between the arm and the doublesegment, substantially as described.

5. In combination in a railway-crossing having interrupted rails at thecrossingpoints, a bed-plate and bridge-pieces at each of thecrossing-points designed to oscillate and having dependin pivot pins orstems journaled in the beddate, a double toothed segment pivoted to thebed-plate, and toothed members fixed to the pivot-pins of oppositebridge members and intermeshing with the double segment, arms fixed tothe pivot-pins ofthe other bridge members located in the path ofmovement of the double segment to be shifted by the latter, a stop forlimiting the movement of said arms and therethrough the movement of thesegment, a pair of levers associated with each track and a linkconnection between each lever and the segment for shifting the segmentas the levers are shifted, said levers having portions designed to beao- 1 I tuated by a car approaching the crossing, substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination with a railway-crossing having interrupted rails atthe crossingpoints and movable bridge members thereat, I1 5 of means forshifting said bridge members comprising an oscillating element havingoperative engagement with opposite bridge members to shift the latter,and means asso ciated with the other bridge members lying 120 in thepath of movement of the oscillating element, and designed to be struckby the latter whereby said bridge members are oscillated, substantiallyas described.

7. The combination with a railway-cross- 12 5 ing having interruptedrails at the crossingpoints and movable bridge members thereat, of meansto shift said bridge members comprising an oscillating element,andimeans associated with said members and projecting 1 0 into the pathof movement of said element testing Witnesses, at Cadillac, county ofWeX- and disconnected therefrom designed to be ford, State of Michigan,this 17th day of May, engaged by said element when the latter is 1906.

oscillated whereby said bridge members are JOHN W. RENNER. shifted,substantially as described. Witnesses:

In testimony whereof I have hereunto W. A. BOWEN,

signed my name, in the presence of tWo ,at- F. A. THOMAS.

